Andrea Pininfarina, CEO of Italian design and contract manufacturer Pininfarina, died Thursday morning in a road accident near Turin at the age of 51. Details are still sketchy, but the first local police reports say a car crashed into Pininfarina's motorbike in the city of Trofarello, Italy while he was riding to the company's design and R&D center in Cambiano.

UPDATE: Apparently Andrea Pininfarina was driving a Vespa and not, according to first reports, a motorcycle.

Pininfarina's death comes at a time when the family-controlled company is in the midst of a crucial restructuring. Last year, Pininfarina's consolidated net loss increased to 114.9 million euros from 21.9 million euros the previous year. Andrea Pininfarina is survived by his wife Cristiana, and two sons and a daughter. We're told the company said it will issue a statement later today. [via Automotive News (sub. req.)]